Coley Named Hurricanes Offensive Coordinator

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - James Coley, who served the last three seasons as offensive coordinator at Florida State, has been named the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Miami, head coach Al Golden announced Thursday.

Coley spent the last five seasons in Tallahassee on Jimbo Fisher's staff - all five as tight ends coach and the last three as the offensive coordinator. As the recruiting coordinator at Florida State in 2008 and 2009, he was instrumental in the Seminoles landing back-to-back Top 10 signing classes and was also named the ACC’s top recruiter in 2010 by ESPN.com.

"We're excited about adding James Coley's leadership, expertise and passion to our staff and Miami Hurricane Football," Golden said. "I've been an admirer of his offenses output and execution, his commitment to student-athlete development as well as his relentless approach to recruiting Dade and Broward counties.

"Coach Coley will be a great asset to the University of Miami and we welcome him, his wife Kenia and their two children back to South Florida," Golden said.

Prior to Florida State, Coley spent one season in his hometown of Miami as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at FIU. He completely overhauled the Golden Panthers offense and established new standards for rushing yardage, as the unit doubled its production over the second half of the season.

He spent two seasons as an offensive assistant with the Miami Dolphins under Nick Saban. While with the Dolphins, Coley worked with running backs Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown when the duo boasted the NFL's seventh-best rushing attack. In 2006, he worked with the Dolphins' receivers, including All-Pro Chris Chambers and Wes Welker, and was responsible for breaking down opposing defenses and self-scouting as the quality control coach.

Coley's college coaching career began as a graduate assistant at LSU on then-offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher's staff in 2003 and 2004. The Tigers won the 2003 SEC and National Championships and played in the 2004 Capital One Bowl.

Coley spent six years as a high school football coach in Miami from 1997-2002, first as quarterbacks coach from 1997-99 at Miami Senior HS, where he worked with former Hurricanes stars and current NFL standouts Andre Johnson and Roscoe Parrish. He then spent 2000-02 as assistant head coach/offensive coordinator at Miami Norland HS, where he coached future college stars Dwayne Bowe (LSU), Kareem Brown (Miami), Alexander Bostic III (FIU) and Antwan Barnes (FIU). Coley’s high school coaching career concluded with Miami Norland winning the 6A state title in 2002.

He earned his bachelor's degree from Florida State in 1997 and his master's degree from LSU in 2004. Coley and his wife Kenia have two children - Madison and Brady. The Coleys own a home in Coconut Grove and both of their extended families reside in South Florida.